Religious Rituals
- Rituals and practices in Buddhism are intended to assist Buddhists in the journey to enlightenment.
- It also brings blessings on Buddhists themselves and others.
- The practice of meditation is one of the main practices. It comes from the Buddha’s experiences and teachings. Meditation is the central focus of Zen Buddhism and the only way to liberation (setting something free) in Theravada Buddhism.
- Mantras are sacred sounds that are believed to possess supernatural powers. The word “mantra” means “that which protects the mind” (the mind = man, that which protects = tra), and is a Sanskrit word. There are many mantras, and Buddhists recite them as rituals. Mantras are sometimes repeated as part of meditation, often with the help of mala beads for counting. Mantras are often used for protection from evil and misfortune. They are chanted during large public rituals to prevent danger, and in private rituals to protect individuals against illness or other misfortune. Everyone, including children, practices the Mantra in different ways. Protective rites are extremely important in Buddhist traditions, so they have mantras and dharanis. Dharanis are statements of beliefs or adoration believed to have spiritual power when chanted. Mantras are shorter statements, often just single words, but believed to have the same power; they are believed to frighten away evil spirits.
- Mudras are symbolic hand gestures; they are used symbolically in Buddha images, and in practice to evoke particular ideas or Buddhas in the mind during meditation or rituals. Buddhists believe that mudras used in ritual meditation generate forces that invoke a particular Buddha or deity (gods/goddesses). There are a large number of mudras, there are ten main ones, of which five are most commonly used in Buddha images. Each of the ‘Five Dhyani Buddhas’ (The Great Buddhas of Wisdom, which are a central feature of Tibetan Buddhist belief and art) is assigned one of the five mudras.
- A Prayer Wheel is a hollow metal cylinder that is beautifully embossed most of the time. It is mounted on a rod handle and contains a tightly wound scroll printed with a mantra. According to the Buddhist beliefs, spinning a prayer wheel is just as effective as reciting the sacred texts and mantras aloud. For many Buddhists, the prayer wheel also represents the Wheel of Law when it has been set in motion by the Buddha. The prayer wheel is also useful for illiterate (unable to read or write) members of the Buddhist community, since they can "read" the prayers (Buddhists believe that spinning the wheel is basically reading it). Prayer wheels come in many sizes: they may be small where they are attached to a stick, and are spun around by hand; medium-sized and set up at monasteries or temples; or very large and continuously spun by a water mill. Prayer wheels at monasteries and temples are located at the gates of the property, and followers spin the wheels before passing through the gates.
- Buddhist pilgrimage (pilgrims are worshippers, pilgrimage being their journey) is a ritual of great significance. The most important destinations for Buddhist pilgrims are in Northern India and Southern Nepal’s Gangetic plains, between New Delhi and Rajgir, where Gautama Buddha lived and taught. The four main sites of pilgrimage are the places mentioned in Sacred Places.
- The New Year is the biggest holiday of the year in many Asian countries, and activities last for a week or more. Traditions are followed, special foods are prepared, and some Buddhist temples will offer food to people. In China it is customary for people to travel to visit their families for the holiday. On New Year's Eve in Japan, at midnight, Buddhist temples ring the temple bell 108 times; at the larger temples, huge crowds of people will attend this event.
- The Buddha's birthday is another big Buddhist holiday, but it is celebrated on different days, with different rituals, in different countries. At some temples there will be a statue of the Buddha, in which worshippers can pour water or a special tea as a sign of respect. Some temples will offer a free vegetarian meal to all visitors. In South Korea, Buddhist temples hang hundreds of paper lanterns, including some shaped like lotus flowers, throughout the temple grounds and connecting every building. There can be other customs, but it de
- Some Buddhist countries celebrate the day of the Buddha's death and entry into nirvana, others celebrate the day of his enlightenment, and still others celebrate the day of his first sermon.